To Lure a Thief
by xblackrosefirex
Summary: We all know how Hiei and Kurama met. However, how did Hiei "convince" our favorite red-head to join him and Gouki on their heist to steal the Three Artifacts of Darkness? This is my take on it.


Title: To Lure a Thief

Summary: We all know how Hiei and Kurama met. However, how did Hiei "convince" our favorite red-head to join him and Gouki on their heist to steal the Three Artifacts of Darkness? This is my take on it.

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own.

Kurama walked through the front door, and placed his school bag on the large green sofa in the living room. It had been a long day in school, and the red-head was quite eager to relax and unwind a bit, before cracking down to his biology textbook to study for an exam this coming Friday. His sensei had informed the entire class that the exam would cover chapters 1-6 from the textbook and that, "any of hope of passing required a rigorous amount of studying."

Kurama would study for the test, but first, he decided he would make himself a cup of tea. He was about to walk into the kitchen, when he noticed that the answering machine showed a blinking red dot. Someone had called the house when he wasn't home.

Kurama hit play on the message machine, and his mother's soft voice soared through the room.

_Hello, Shuichi, I'm just calling to say hello. You've been by yourself for so long, I thought I might call you and see how you're doing. The doctors here are taking good care of me, but I do wish that I could come home. I miss you very much, and I'll talk to you later. Love you, sweetie."_

Kurama smiled a bit. His mother had come down with a serious illness a few weeks ago, and had been in the hospital ever since. He had made a point to visit his mother as much as he could, but school these days was very demanding. He decided he would drop by for a short visit later that day, and wanted to give his mother some much needed rest, but for right now, the moment called for some hot tea and a textbook.

Kurama put a green tea bag in a brown mug, and turned on the stove. After a few minutes, the kettle gave out a loud whistle, signaling that the water had finished boiling.

He poured himself his tea, grabbed his book bag, and headed upstairs to his room.

Kurama's room was not one would expect when belonging to a teenage boy. Whereas most of his male friends' rooms were messy and cluttered, Kurama's room was very well organized. Every book on his shelf had been arranged in alphabetical order, and his bed sheets and covers were always very neatly made. Kurama hated uncleanliness, and an organized room was crucial when it came to studying for exams.

He walked over to his desk with his book bag, took out his biology textbook, a note-pad, a pen, and placed all of that, along with his cup of tea, on his desk.

Kurama opened up his textbook, and began reading the first chapter. It had a total of 20 pages, and Kurama knew that it was going to be a long night of studying.

As he read the chapter, he jotted down notes. Key terms, diagrams, anything that could very well be on Friday's exam. As he wrote, he made a mental note to transfer these onto flashcards.

Three and a half chapters later, Kurama decided that it was time to take a small break. He noticed that his mug was empty, and thought he should pour himself another cup. Not to mention, his legs were feeling quite stiff. Yes, it would be a wise idea to take a break.

As Kurama poured himself his tea, he began to calculate in his head how long he would need to study for today, before visiting hours at the hospital closed. He made a mental note earlier to stop by for a bit to visit his mother.

'Perhaps after another chapter,' he thought, 'visiting hours should still be occurring after that. I'll simply stop by for twenty minutes or so.'

Deciding that this was the best course of action, Kurama grabbed his mug, and made his way back upstairs to his room.

What he saw when he got there, nearly made him drop his tea.

Hiei was sitting right at Kurama's desk; feet crossed and up on the table, with a very smug look on his face.

"Hn. It appears we meet again, fox."

"Hiei! What….what on earth are you doing here? How did you find my house?"

Hiei merely shrugged. "I simply asked one of your little classmates to tell me where you lived, Kurama. Don't worry, I didn't hurt the human," he pointed to his Jagan eyes, "with this, I don't need to use physical force."

Kurama remembered that eye of the fire demon, and it didn't surprise him the in the least that he used it. Hiei was very cunning like that.

Nevertheless, Kurama sat down on his bed, and gazed at Hiei with narrowed eyes.

'Why would Hiei come all this way just to find me? Surely he must have a reason for being here, he's not exactly the type to just stop by and greet people. What's going on?'

"Well then, since you came all the way here, Hiei, would you care for some tea? I just made a fresh cup of it."

Hiei shook his head.

"I'm not here for simple pleasantries, Kurama. I have a proposition for you. I require…your assistance."

The former fox thief couldn't help but raise one slender eyebrow. Hiei needed his assistance? That was unexpected. He wasn't the type to request help from people. No, he was more the type that barked orders.

However, the very fact that Hiei even asked for help, admittedly, greatly interested Kurama. He may have been living as a human for the last 15 years, but the desire for mysteries and challenges that he had when he was Yoko Kurama never left.

"Well then, what favor of yours requires my assistance?" It wasn't a yes, for Kurama merely wanted to find out what Hiei had planned, and knowing the ambitious demon, it was something big, and probably something very dangerous.

"I have recruited a demon named Gouki. I'm sure you've heard of him?"

Kurama nods, indicating that he has, in fact, heard of Gouki. When you've lived as long as he has, you pick up names, and Gouki's was one that had spread through some parts of demon world. He was on Spirit World's most wanted list, and from what Kurama heard, the demon was a soul sucker. Very strong, but none too bright.

Hiei continued to inform Kurama of his plan, and the fox swore he heard Hiei's voice get more sinister with every word.

"We plan to steal the Three Artifacts of Darkness. My goal is to take complete control over all three worlds. I will use the Shadow Sword to create an army to my liking, and eliminate these worthless humans. Heh, that fool Koenma will soon be bowing at my feet," the fire demon stood up from Kurama's desk, and walked over to the middle of the room.

Kurama's eyes widened in alarm once more. The Three Artifacts of Darkness? Was Hiei out of his mind?!

"And just how exactly do you plan to accomplish this, Hiei? Those artifacts are under very high security, they are guarded day and night. No thief has ever succeeded in stealing them, without being killed. I assume you've thought this out?"

It was true: those artifacts were very heavily guarded under state of the art security systems provided by Spirit World. Many thieves have tried to steal them, and every single one met gruesome deaths. Not only that, but these items were quite powerful. If they fell into the wrong hands, it would literally be hell on earth.

Hiei glared at Kurama.

"I did not ask for a preachy lecture, fox! I require your skills as a thief." Hiei growled.

Kurama stared at Hiei for a few moments, contemplating his answer. Then, finally:

"If you want them so badly, then you steal them, along with Gouki. I have no interest in joining your cause. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an exam to study for."

Kurama walks over to his desk, and he could feel Hiei's smirk upon him.

"I had a feeling you would refuse my proposition. This is not a request Kurama. I've heard that…your precious human mother is quite sick."

Kurama nearly knocks his tea onto his textbook. He whirls around to face Hiei, glaring dangerously at him. Hiei smirks so broadly, his teeth show, his canine protruded from his upper lip, and his eyes widened, giving him a very sinister appearance.

"So…I'm right. "

Kurama's eyes narrowed dangerously. Nobody threatened his mother and got away with it. "Hiei, if you so even lay a finger on my mother, I'll…."

"There's no need to get hostile. You know the Three Artifacts of Darkness. The Shadow Sword which turns a human into a demon when they are cut with it. The Orb of Baast which captures human souls, and finally, the Forlorn Hope, which grants its user any wish they desire. Would you not use that wish to save your dear human mother, Kurama? It would be such a shame if she…died before her time was up."

Kurama looks at Hiei, and realizes that the fire demon is not giving him a choice.

'He has made an unspoken threat. If I refuse to help Hiei, he'll kill my mother. I cannot let that happen. It seems I must assist Hiei in his plan, he's left me no choice.'

"Very well, I will join your cause, Hiei." He had given his final answer, and knew that he was trapped. Hiei would never let him back out, and the fire demon knew it. He had the fox right where he wanted him, and it was perfect. "Excellent. Meet me in the woods tomorrow night, I'll be expecting your arrival, and don't be late."

He moves to the window sill, but stops, and looks back at Kurama, with an even more sinister look.

"Oh, and one more thing Kurama, to ensure your loyalty, know that if you betray me in any way, I will kill your mother. Hn, I look forward to a very…promising partnership. "

And then, Hiei was gone. The room got very quiet, but suddenly seemed to scream out from Kurama's intensity.

He had no choice. Hiei had trapped Kurama into a very dangerous plan, but Kurama, ever the sly fox he was, had plans of his own.

'Yes,' he thought, 'I will assist Hiei, and save my mother.'

Considering the fact that in about five hours I will be on a train to Seattle with no internet connection whatsoever, I decided to upload this right away.

Read and Review!


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